Do coilovers need more clearance than stock suspension?

[Jayhox]

I am looking at some new rims and flirting with 9.5" rear wheels. I think they will fit my stock suspension with a fender roll. However, if I go with coilovers in the future, will I have a problem with INSIDE clearance? I thought I heard that coilovers and other aftermarket suspension components need a little more room than the stock suspension.

Should I just go with 8.5" wheels in the rear? Or is there an issue with coilovers?

Thanks! :redspot

[John in Houston]

For the front, aftermarket coil-over setups usually have the springs lower on the strut body as well as the lower spring perch. On a stock application, the spring sits above the tire and as such rarely has clearance issues.

On the rear, I'll have to let someone else chime in as I have not run a rear coil-over setup.

[edit] I run 17x9s with 255x40 victoracers in the rear with no spacers. Same size in the front with a 15 mm spacer to clear the coil-over setup and allow me to rotate the CCW wheels I run.

[GotBHP?]

I am looking at some new rims and flirting with 9.5" rear wheels. I think they will fit my stock suspension with a fender roll. However, if I go with coilovers in the future, will I have a problem with INSIDE clearance? I thought I heard that coilovers and other aftermarket suspension components need a little more room than the stock suspension.

Should I just go with 8.5" wheels in the rear? Or is there an issue with coilovers?

Thanks! :redspot

You wont be changing anything in the back except for the ride height (you wont be running a true rear coilover, and pretty much all aftermarket rear shocks have the same dimensions), so clearance should be the same as stock. Many things affect the clearance in the rear part of the car: camber, toe in/out, ride height etc. You can always start pounding on the metal with a hammer back there to get inside clearace, or use a spacer and roll the fenders more.

I think the answer to the question about 8.5" vs. 9.5" is in how much you are willing to roll the fenders and work with spacers. It can be done, but are you willing to work with the headache its going to cause you.

[Mad Dog 20/20]

I JUST installed a GC c/o kit and found that I lost maybe 3mm of clearance up front between the perch and the tire. GC makes special strut housings that provided more clearance if you need it, this sacrifices a bit of camber, though.

Generall, it is the coilover systems that come with "tender springs" that limit clearance the most.

Coilovers will not affect rear space limitations at all.